Damp

[Smith]

Hi

Our house is shut up from November to Easter and we are having a problem with the ceilings going black and the furniture is damp.

Although it does not appear to be coming through the walls it seems the air is damp.

Has any one got any tips on how to solve this problem I would love to hear them.

Thank you

Christine

[Punch]

>
This subject was covered in a very recent thread;

http://www.livingfrance.com/dcforum/DCForumID28/1514.html

Keeping a good circulation of air is one of the best methods to keep it at bay.
Coupled with a dehumidifier (electric or otherwise), this should greatly improve the problem

Another good solution is to install a VMC (ventilation mecanique controlee) which will provide a few air changes per hour and keep fresh air circulating. You will of course need to leave your electricity on for this.

regards,

Paul

[Touroulet]

There are very good compact dehumidifiers which we put in stored caravans available from l'eclerc at about E15 each. These really take the water out of the air and would help with your problem. We empty ours every three months.
Hope thats helpful.
Peter.
www.camping-touroulet.com

[Moorejw]

One cheap solution to this (costs nothing!) providing you have very sound shutters, is to lock your shutters and prop the windows open, so that you have a through flow of air.

John and Angie Moore (17)

[Sashabel]

A few bowls of salt dotted around here and there helps (as long as the problem is not too big). We have friends who buy a few cheap washing up bowls and put about 4 inches of salt in each and leave them around the house before they lock it up - seems to work quite well for them.
Cheers
Sasha

[odonovan]

LAST EDITED ON 20-Mar-04 AT 05:48 PM (GMT)

LAST EDITED ON 20-Mar-04 AT 05:45PM (GMT)

LAST EDITED ON 20-Mar-04 AT 05:43PM (GMT)

If your damp problem extends to black mould on the ceilings, I don't think all the salt in the world is likely to solve it. We close our place up completely; shutters and windows because our insurance dictates that we do. We invested in an electric dehumidifier a couple of years ago, which we put on the counter top in the kitchen with a plastic tube draining into the sink. We leave all the inner doors open and the dehumidifier keeps the whole place dry and mould free. Our experience before this was opening up a fusty smelling house in the Spring with a fine layer of mould over everything especially anything wooden. Since the dehumidifier we have had no problems at all. We bought an 'Ebac' suitable for a 5 room house. It cost nearly 300 quid but was money well spent. As far as running costs are concerned, it only costs about the same as a domestic fridge.

Nick O'D

PS I think you'd get far more answers to your problems if you posted your message in the Owning French Property forum. Although here in Brittany it is certainly wet I don't think damp is solely a problem of Western France!